- Video shows how youth in Kern County were able to get connected with resources needed to become Indpendent adults. Learning things like what to wear and what not to wear for a job interview, how to apply for housing, and more workshops.
- Following the life story of 17-year-old Rudy Hernandez who after becoming homeless, continued to pursue his dream of going to school and is now a freshman at California State University Long Beach.
The 20th annual Independent City event was held at Bakersfield College where 50 foster youth individuals got access to resources like housing, job fairs, and workshops. The Independent City Event started in 1999, with this year being their first year back since the 2019, program coordinators say they want to be able to play a small role in their growth.
“A lot of our youth don’t know the basics and so we’re giving them the basics wer’e giving them the support we’re giving them financial support, we’re giving them, were trying to give them a full rounded circle of what they need to start out to be successful,” said Tamara Roberts, social worker with the Independent Living Program.
Roberts has been a social worker with the ILP since 2016 — working with older youth hands on, Roberts says she acts as a support system for them and says it’s amazing to see how they become adults.
Roberts says she’s always had a passion for working with the youth, but it was 17-year-old Rudy Hernandez that she says showed her how impactful this program can be.
“I was homeless before I entered the system and things got really rocky,” said Hernandez. “I’ve managed to get all these different life skills that have helped me lived independently outside of there and also by going to these different workshops I build a workshop where now I have the opportunity to reach out to the services that I need.”
Hernandez says it’s because of these resources and support that he is now in his first year of college at California State University Long Beach.
The Independent City event is part of the Independent Living Program which is geared toward helping foster youth like Hernandez live on their own two feet comfortably.
According to ILP Supervisor Robin Chambers, the program has grown rapidly since their first event.
“AB12 started in 2012 it is a stipend program, basically youth who are exiting foster care instead of emancipating to adult hood on their own can get a small stipend as long as they’re going to school part time,” said Chambers.
Chambers says AB12 acts like an additional support system for the youth ages 18-21. After turning 21, Chambers says youth are then able to apply for an additional stipend program — the Transitional Housing Plus Program assisting youth from ages 21 until 24.
Since the programs start, Chambers says they’ve been able to assist around 600 youth like Hernandez.
Thinking at one point that he was going to become a high school dropout, Hernandez says he is truly grateful to have been given the resources to grow into an adult.
“If it wasn’t for the services that I got from ILP and foster youth, I would never be here where I am today.”
This is an annual event usually occurring in October at Bakersfield College however for more assistance outside of Independent City — the Dream Center provides resources for former or current foster youth under the age of 24. For more information visit their website.
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